There is something uniquely wonderful about friends you’ve known for 80-100% of your life. I’m lucky enough to have several such friends, but today I’m going to tell you about Robert.
I’ll also tell you about the Chilli con Kangaroo-Carne Soup I made when Robert came over for dinner, but first I’ll explain why it makes me smile to have this fellow in my life.
Robert and I went through primary school, high school, college, and university together. In fact, we were in almost all the same classes throughout primary school and high school, which means we’ve racked up a goodly amount of shared memories. For example:
1. Robert saw me swan around as an incredibly bossy year six student determined to write and perform in various plays and musicals for school assemblies (I’m particularly proud of my musical about recycling), but he also saw me turn into a bit of a sadface hermit during years 11 and 12.
2. He forgave me for the time I pulled a chair out from under him as a joke, causing him to crack his head spectacularly hard on the wooden seat that was suddenly behind rather than under him.
3. I forgave him for the time I approached him and his new friends in year seven, and he told me to go away. (I’ll let you forget about that one eventually, Robert.)
4. In a moment of pure modesty in year two, Robert and I (along with my other friend in the photo above) formed a club called “The Smarties”. We told people the name referred to the chocolate lollies. That was only half-true.
5. He makes me laugh.
6. I think he’s awesome.
7. We both like to travel.
8. He’s keen for me to make him a crazy smoothie in my Vita-Mix, but he’s less sure about trying my raw food creations.
9. In year 10 I played Robert’s scorned lover in Oscar Wilde’s A Woman of No Importance, and I had to slap him with a glove during the final scene. I felt so guilty about doing so that I over-compensated, and ending up hitting him incredibly hard. I’m sorry, Robert.
10. He likes my cooking. A thousand points towards life for that one.
11. I think I’ll stop now. Otherwise, this will go on forever, and I’ve got a gospel performance to get ready for.
Chilli con Kangaroo-Carne Soup
Serves 2 (easily doubled)
Adapted from this Taco Soup recipe at Kalyn’s Kitchen
- 1 tb olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 300g kangaroo mince
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 cup water, and more as needed
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 400g can mixed beans, drained
- 1 tb dried oregano
- 1 tb ground cumin
- 1 tb Mexican chilli powder
- dash of cayenne
- sour cream and grated cheese to garnish, and/or diced avocado, fresh coriander, and corn chips if you’re fancier than I am.
1. Heat oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes until softened. Tip in the kangaroo mince and cook, breaking up with a spoon or spatula, until browned through.
2.Add the stock, water, tomatoes, beans, oregano, and spices, and stir to combine. Bring the soup to the boil and then reduce heat, cover, and keep at a low simmer. The original recipe says to simmer for 45 minutes, but mine ended up simmering for about an hour and half. I added in a bit more water at the end, but the soup still ended up rather thick. Thick and delicious, I might add.
3. Serve hot with the toppings of your choice, preferably with a bottle of red brought by your long-time super-awesome friend and lots of laughter.
Oh he’s such a cutie (as were you, too). Does he have a blog? What does he do now that he’s no longer an active member of ‘the Smarties’ and is grown up?
I wish he had a blog! I think he’d make a great blogger
I probably shouldn’t give too many details of his movements here, though… Rest assured he’s still a Smartie in spirit 
Aww love people like that.
Absolutely!
zomg! You cooked food! And ate it with wine?! I think this friend is a good influence. Yay for Robert!
Yes indeedy! Robert brings out the grown-up in me
Yay for friends who are there for the long haul. They are to be treasured.
Make new friends/but keep the old/One is silver/the other is gold.
I’ve always liked that poem, but some of my new friends are pretty golden too
I wish I had a friend like that! My early childhood friends all turned out to develop into such a different direction that we don’t have anything in common any more. I’m still friends with them on Facebook, but I don’t have any further contact with them. (My best childhood friend lives in Australia now, btw, and his wife is from Australia.)
It took until I was 25 to find my first real friends – people I love for their personalities, and who somehow love me for mine. Two or three of them feel like as if I’d known them for all times.
Whee, there’s really kangaroo in your soup? I actually don’t assiciate kangaroos with eating them up. Hm. Looks good, though! Suppose it tasted good, too!
Yes, there absolutely is kangaroo in my soup! If you come down under one day, I’ll cook you some
It is truly lovely to have friends you’ve known for a long time, but friends you’ve made later in life, because of shared values, interests, and outlooks, can be pretty wonderful too
isn’t it strange what seems quite ok as a child that can horrify us if we treated others the same way as an adult! I agree that old friends are special – kudos to you for still having some around
it is funny that you were serving chilli con carne to a friend as when a work colleague asked what to serve some friends recently that is exactly what I suggested! Snap!
Oooh, blogger psychic-channelling! Love it! Though surely you would’ve recommended a vegetarian chilli?
if I had been there I would have recommended veg chilli ( chilli non carne) but as I wasn’t and I know my friend was cooking for those who love meat, I just said buy some mince and add a bit of tomato corn and beans plus flavour and bob’s your uncle!
Aren’t you lovely! Teehee, your off-the-cuff recipe is probably more complex than my written one
Kangaroo mince?? So, what I’ve heard about you Aussies is true…
What can I say? It’s my convict heritage.
all these pictures are adorable – sounds like a great friendship!
It is
That sounds great! I actually don’t mind kangaroo although I don’t normally eat meat. I like the gamey taste of it though!
I’m actually the same way!
This post reminded me of my best friend B and it made me tear up a little because I miss him so much (he just moved to Sydney a few weeks ago). Best friends who know you inside out are truly awesome.
The best thing is knowing that you’ll be able to pick up right where you left off next time you see B
*hugs*
hehe what a great friend! You two look like such. Cute couple! Or is it strictly friendS? Sorry did I just ask an embarrassing mum type of question?
*laughs* I’m sure you’d make a great prying mum, Lorraine
Great friends is the answer 
It’s wonderful to have those friends who (a) have been around forever and (b) aren’t going anywhere. What a blessing.
Kangaroo? I’m not ready for that. (oh my!)
Yould could definitely make this with any kind of mince, or just more beans for a vego version if kangaroo gives you the heebie-jeebies
how cute is that! haha i lavaaa those photos of you two ALWAYS next to each other.
it seems awesome growing up with the same good friends! At least I keep in touch with my childhood friends in Argentina. 
have a great day!!
It’s very important to keep in touch with friends, I think, particularly when you live in separate countries! And thanks
A thousand times yes for this recipe! Chilli con Conor, it should be named! Not really, that’s erribly presumptive of me. Ooh I missed out the t in terribly and now it’s making me of ‘enry ‘iggins and now I’m talking in my head with a very Pygmalion type accent (pre change).
I’m glad you have Robert in your life. It makes me feel better about being so far away
Aw, Conor! I shall definitely write an Ode To You post when you run to Canberra and stay on my couch. For sure. And I’ll even cook kangaroo, if that’s your innermost desire
After all, the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plane…
I was going to ask you the same question Lorraine asked you (about Robert) :p
I love love love chilli con carne, though not so much kangaroo meat *sad face*
Teehee, it never fails to astonish me how many people who happily eat all kinds of other meat get squeamish about kangaroo. For some reason it’s one of the few meats I don’t mind!
Ooo.. can I sticky beak too and ask the same question that Lorraine and Libby asked?
Love how you made this with kangaroo mince… I wish we could get it here… the last time I had really delicious kangaroo was somewhere in the Grampians and it was in a kebab.. yummm!
Kangaroo Kebab! I like the alliteration of that…
Aw. Lifelong friends are the best. Also, your photo dated 1999 in which you are clearly a child makes me feel very old.
Camille, if it makes you feel any better, keep in mind that I took a very, very long time to hit puberty (i.e. i was a bit of a runt). Therefore I might look younger than I really was
P.S. Or think of it this way: you were on your way to pastry chefdom when I was still making tiger toast for afternoon tea.
I’m running late for work (story of my life) but when I saw this title, I just knew you’d randomly wander off into some story….., you did
Cool buddy Hannah…. its so good to stay in touch with childhood friends, isn’t it amazing to see them all grown up & getting into their lives 
Nice dish too….I should use a little more ‘roo’ but I never do. Mmmm, much to ponder there.
Aaahhh yes… work, that’s right!!!!!! Seeya
Enjoy your day at work! I’m glad my bizarre story-tangents are something you can look forward to rather than be frustrated by
Childhood friends are awesome!
This is so cute! And that soup looks great!
Thanks Rach!
Thanks for sharing this recipe – it looks delicious! My husband is going to love this!
I hope he does! Robert did
Awe what a sweet post! But Hannah, you seriously need to stop posting pics of you as a child. It is just simply far too cute and I cannot handle it anymore! I am sorry. Especially ones of you in a bonnet
Heidi xo
I’m sorry, Heidi! I’ll try and resist the urge for a little while… but you see, I don’t often take photos of myself as a grown-up, so these childhood ones are a boon
P.S. I so wish I still fit into that bonnet.
lol I love all your old photos and your group the smarties, hilarious. I think I have made this soup from Kalyn’s site before. Very very good, especially with lots of cheese!
Cheese makes many things taste better
I’m so glad you enjoyed the old (albeit blurry) photos!
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Kangaroo mince?!? Really?!? That ingredient stopped me in my tracks. I’m struggle to locate ground buffalo meat locally, and can’t imagine trying to source kangaroo. Is it routinely available in your shops?
Absolutely! It’s in every major supermarket and also our little IGAs
You definitely could substitute ground buffalo or any mince in your area, though, as I don’t remember seeing any kangaroos when I was visiting Seattle 